Headnote
John Bond (1612-c.1658) was one of many local preachers whose sermons formed part of the outpouring of religious and political printing during the British Civil Wars of the 1640s. The biographer Anthony Wood described his sermons as full of “strange positions [and] rebellious doctrines” that “brought all things to Ruin”. Autobiographical notes in his sermons reveal that he was born in Chard, Somerset, in 1616, and began preaching in Exeter in his late twenties. Bond made his name as a young firebrand, supporting the twin causes of puritan reform of the church, and the parliamentarian assault on the monarchy of Charles I. He was present when Exeter fell to royalist occupation in September 1643 (an event celebrated in the poems by Robert Herrick). Bond recalled seeing his puritan colleagues in tears at “the sad march of Gods people out of the Cittie of […] Exon”.
Bond was exiled to London. He was rewarded by a cabal of southwestern MPs, one of whom was his namesake John Bond, MP for Melcombe in Dorset, with whom he has understandably been confused. Bond’s patrons secured him a position and salary, as Master of the Savoy Hospital, and regularly invited him to preach to parliament as a specialist preacher on western affairs.
The sermon excerpted here, A Doore of Hope, was preached in Exeter in 1641, in the presence of the city’s mayor. This was a moment of tumultuous political confrontation between king and parliament—whose effects were also felt in Exeter with disturbances and radical agitation in the streets. A number of references in the text suggest that it was originally a November 5th Gunpowder sermon, like the later work by Joseph Hallett. The text was published in print in February 1642, signed “from my study in Exon”. Bond represents himself as an emissary from Westminster, transmitting the political struggle to his local audience. The sermon anticipates questions and objections from the audience, allowing us to overhear something of the debate that must have raged back and forth in the city at this time.
Bond draws on a battery of Biblical examples and provocative rhetoric to exhort his hearers to action on parliament’s side. He presents a relatively radical (for his time) picture of political participation by non-elite people and by women—which bears comparison with the arguments for women’s public role in another Exeter text written later in the revolutionary period, Susanna’s Apologie. Yet the sermon is also distinctly creepy in the way Bond fosters an “us and them” mentality within the community, demonizing political opponents as “Anti-deliverancers”. He encourages hearers to act as informants, reporting on the misdeeds of royalist neighbours in petitions to parliament. Although Bond presents a stirring image of Exeter as a “beacon upon an hill”, a stronghold of puritan commitment, this rhetoric masks the reality of a city racked with religious conflict.
John Bond, A Doore of Hope, also Holy and Loyall Activity: Two Treatises Delivered in Severall Sermons in Excester (1642)
Anti-Deliverancers [pp. 7-10]
To check a sort of Anti-Deliverancers[1] amongst us, men that care not to heare talke of any such great Deliverance that hath bin wrought for us, but are up with their What? How? and Wherein? Tell them, as here, that the Lord hath done great things for us, and they are angry presently and part companyes.[2] First, they are ingratefull both to the Lord, and to his choyce instruments, they doe trample unparalel’d Nationall mercies under foot, and so are unworthy to breath in these blessed times which we see. Is this your thankfullnesse to the Lord, the King, and the supreame Councell of the Kingdome,[3] all which doe deserve your praises and selves, for their protection, wisdome and watchfullnesse over us? Or what els thinke you, are not King and Parliament so wise, so Orthodox, so well affected to the publike good, as your selves? Shall the Lord shew his speciall providence in an astonishing Deliverance, shall the greatest in the Land acknowledge it, and shall publike command be given to proclaime it, and yet will (nay durst) ye still to bite the lip, to shake the head or to grumble secretly at such proceedings? Brethren (I speak to all true Protestants and cordiall Subjects) I charge you by your thankfullnesse, and by all the mercies lately received, that ye observe, marke out and pursue (lawfully)[5] to the uttermost, all such murmurers and repiners[6] at the present blessings of Deliverance and Reformation. They are Ingratefull in a high measure. […]
Exeter: Beacon on a Hill [p 49]
But now how is this golden opportunity improved? Brethren, it doth even sicken my body, and sadden my spirit, to observe how dully, nay how contemptuously this mercy of God, and goodnesse of that Honourable House is entertained amongst us, amongst us I say againe.[7] Some godly forward Parishes indeed there are in this place; but I speake onely of the guilty. Hath the Lord placed this City in the midst of our County, as a Beacon upon an hill,[8] yea, as the Center, heart and head of the West, and shall this beacon not blaze by its example, in every part, when there is holy, loyall, refining fire put into it, by so great Authority? Nay, shall this heart and head of the West (in great part) convay nothing but dullnesse and drowsinesse to that whole body? In a word, are we the Redeemed people, the Mayden City, faithfull for ever to our King,[9] and doe many of us now thus requite the Lord that preserved us? Are, or can they be thus unthankefull to the King of Kings, in this great trust and service?
Informations and Petitions [pp. 95-107]
Let us (generally) come over heartily to the right side, and engage our selves unto it.
Quest.[10] The right side (you will say) why, what is that? And who is the wrong side? Will you make factions and divisions amongst us?
Answ. Not make, but discover them I would. Who knows not (that hath read Scripture) that there are two gates, and two wayes unto them, (the broad, and the narrow,) and therefore to[12] the world’s end there will be two sides. So there are now in this Kingdome, a Reforming, and a Deforming party, a just and gratious Soveraigne with this Blessed Parliament (like Moses, Joshuah and the rest)[13] on the one side; and on the other, there is a multitude of delinquents and their adherents. The thing that I now presse is, that all good Protestants would come off in their very affections and judgements, from the Tents[14] (that is, the faction) of those wicked men, and would joyne themselves with heart, head and hand, to those Noble Reformers, and to all their well-wishers. […]
To informe, complaine, and testifie against all Offensive things and persons, grievers and grievances to the utmost of our knowledge and abilities. When the waters of the poole of Bethesda, were stirred by an Angell (John 5:4), then was the time for all grieved persons to step in and get cure of whatsoever disease they had; so now is the Blessed time when there is a fountain opened in this Land against all spirituall wickednesses and politike disorders. The Bath is free and full, ’tis but come, nay, but send thy paper[15], as they did their handkerchiefes to Saint Paul (Acts 19:12), and by the Lords blessing the evill spirits shall be cast out and the diseases will depart. Let us not therfore lose so great and cheap an opportunity. […] True, we must not sit in the Councell[16] unlesse we are chosen thereunto, but yet we may wait upon the Councellors with our submissive Informations and Petitions. This themselves do both allow and expect at our hands.[17] […]
Objection. But would not such stirring be accounted pragmaticall?[18] Shall we not be called busie bodies?
Answer. Yes, by Atheists, Papists and Delinquents;[19] but with good men or reasonable, it must needs be acknowledged necessary. Let us looke either upon the condition of divers places and persons which doe suffer such Grievances, or else upon the nature of that great Court[20] to which the complaint is to be made and in both respects we shal see divers reasons for this duty of stirring for the publike.
Poor men and women [pp. 129-31]
Objection. I am but one, and what can one man doe by himselfe, towards a publike Reformation? […]
A meane private person in his activenesse may expresse as much faithfullnesse and sincerity, as the greatest and most prosperous Instrument in the Kingdome. As we say concerning faithfullnesse in a mans particular calling, that a poore Wench in the Kitchin walking conscionably in her place, may serve the Lord as sincerely as a King upon his Throne: So here, a meane private person, though a Mechanick[21] or underling, giving faithfull information of what he knows amisse, may promote the great worke as heartily, as the greatest good Instrument in Parliament. Remember this, and say not, I am but one. […]
Objection. But I am a woman, a weaker vessell, and (perhaps) under covert barone[22], and then what can I doe?
Answer. I conceive that even those weaker vessels may now doe service, yea double service.
1. Immediately, by, and from themselves, by their owne parts and purses, if they are free from husbands.[23] Examples of the acts of that Sex even this way, we find not a few in Scripture. What is there recorded of Deborah and Iael in one Chapter? (Judges 5) But ye must know that such acts of their must not be imitated without like calling and warrant extraordinary. […] But above all these, the wisdome of that woman of the City Abell, is a famous example, (2 Sam 20:16) honour and encouragement to all her Sex. She tooke off the head of Sheba and saved the whole City by her Prudence. More testimonies might be brought, but these are enough to prove that even the weaker vessels may doe much towards the publike great worke immediately.
2. But (perhaps) they may do much more mediately and by others. Perchance thou hast an Husband, Father, Brother or Sonne, that is somewhat over-wary, timerous, (Genesis 2:18) slack or unactive, then remember that thou wast given to be a meet helper. It will be thy duty in such a case and time as this, with thy choisest wisdome and humility, to doe the office of a submissive Remembrancer,[24] in due place, manner and season. Yea, thou art called to such a service. […][25] In the last place therefore let us stirre up as many of this Sex, as shall have opportunity, to cast in their mite[26] into the happy treasury of Hope, they have souls too, and children (with precious souls) to look after.
The good Lord give us understandings and hearts proportionable to the worke and to our hopes.
FINIS.
[1] Bond lists national “deliverances” that, in line with common Protestant thought, he reads as signs of God’s special favour for the English nation (comparable with the Israelites in the Bible). These include the foiling of the gunpowder plot in 1605, and the initial dismantling of Charles I’s regime in 1640.
[2] There follows a digression in which Bond discusses several Biblical examples of his “anti-Deliverancers”, such as malcontents under the rule of King David (2 Samuel 16:3-4) or Haman’s plot against the Jews (Esther 3.8-13). The passage may have been expanded from Bond’s notes for the printed text of the sermon; he ends by announcing, “to returne from this digression to my Anti-deliverances again”.
[3] The “supreame Councell of the Kingdome” refers to Parliament—promoting a view of Parliament as the king’s proper councillors, as opposed to the wicked courtiers who were perceived to have led him astray.
[5] “pursue” is ambiguous. Bond expands on what it might mean. One sense may be hunting, and might suggest a call to violence—note this is carefully limited by insertion of “lawfully”. The parentheses may indicate it was added for print consumption.
[6] i.e. those who grumble against God.
[7] i.e. among the people of Devon and Exeter.
[8] An allusion to the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:14). See online archive on the complex history of this phrase.
[9] The sermon observes the parliamentarian rhetorical convention of loyalty to Charles I as King (while opposing his councillors and policies). Yet Bond repurposes the language of loyalty to emphasize faithfulness to a higher king, Jesus.
[10] Quest. i.e. “Question”—Bond imagines questions or objections from his hearers, to which he provides his Answers. While anticipating counterarguments was a traditional part of rhetorical training, the specific wording of the objections likely suggests arguments that were being discussed within Exeter’s communities at the time.
[12] i.e. until.
[13] Again, observing the parliamentarian rhetorical convention of personal loyalty to Charles I, with the Biblical examples of godly leaders who (it is implied) engaged with their properly constituted councillors (i.e. parliament).
[14] “Tents” refers to a party (or “faction” as Bond glosses it), via the image of a military camp. This is a common reference in the Old Testament, e.g. “To your Tents, O Israel”, which featured in popular political agitation during the Civil Wars—the latter phrase being the title of a pamphlet calling for armed resistance that was thrown into the window of King Charles’s carriage (David Como).
[15] Send thy paper, i.e. write a petition to parliament, as clarified a few lines below: “our submissive Informations and Petitions”. Petitioning was a major form of political writing in the period, which enabled people from outside to address MPs on their political grievances. The Civil Wars saw a great expansion in the volume of petitioning, of its publication in print, and of its social depth, including petitions by women and workers.
[16] Again, the model of parliament as a supreme council.
[17] Bond presents this as a personal instruction from MPs: “my selfe have heard some of their members wish that the Country would doe that office” (p. 108).
[18] Pragmaticall: OED 3a, “officious, meddlesome, interfering”—“a pragmatical fellow, one that will have an oar in every mans boat” (Thomas Blount, Glossographia, 1656).
[19] “Atheists, Papists and Delinquents” all terms used to describe political enemies. Atheists and Papists (i.e. Catholics) both represent enemies to the Protestant church; delinquent suggests “criminal”.
[20] Another common model for parliament in the period as a kind of supreme court for adjudicating over political and religious grievances.
[21] Mechanick: a manual labourer (i.e. someone who would not conventionally have been involved in politics).
[22] covert barone [the text misprints “barne”] (OED), a “feme covert”, or married woman, was considered as under her husband’s authority and hence possessed no independent legal identity.
[23] Unlike unmarried or married women, widows possessed a striking degree of legal and economic autonomy.
[24] Remembrancer: someone who acts as a reminder (OED 2), but in the seventeenth century also a genre of writing, a politicized chronicle, especially with a strongly Protestant or puritan emphasis: David Cressy, “Remembrancers of the Revolution: Histories and Historiographies of the 1640s”, Huntington Library Quarterly, 68.1-2 (2005), 257-68.
[25] Bond follows up with several Biblical examples: of Abigail, wife to Nabal (1 Samuel 25); the wife of Manoah (Judges 13:22-23); and the woman of Shunam (2 Kings 4:8-37).
[26] Cast in mite: make a humble contribution.